Lighting assemblies with a light string are known and are used mainly as festive lighting, for instance Christmas lighting, and as decorative lighting. Such a light string is therefore also referred to as a party light string. Typically provided in party light strings are lamps of different colours, and/or the lamps are switched on and off in predetermined patterns in order to create a festive atmosphere. Different techniques are known for realizing this.
According to a first technique, multi-wire light strings are provided wherein different sockets are connected between different pairs of the multi-wire light string and wherein a different voltage pattern is applied over the different pairs of the multi-wire light string for the purpose of controlling the lamps. Lamps which are attached between a first pair of wires of the multi-wire light string will as a result be switched on and off according to a first pattern and those attached between a second pair of wires of the multi-wire light string can be switched on and off according to a pattern differing therefrom.
Provided according to another system is a multi-wire light string wherein a first pair of wires is provided in order to supply a voltage to substantially all lamps, while another pair of wires is provided to supply control signals to each of the lamps. Each lamp must then be provided with a control unit for interpreting the control signal and controlling the lamp accordingly, wherein the lamp and the control unit are provided with voltage by the power wires.